Words by Thomas Clausen; Photography: Apple TV

Juliette Lewis: “I don’t know why I can play dark, dramatic characters, but I’ve always had empathy for people who are going through difficult times.”

At the age of just 18, Juliette Lewis starred in her breakthrough role in Martin Scorsese’s iconic psychological thriller "Cape Fear". A performance that not only earned her nominations for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe, it became a grand entrance into Hollywood and propelled her onto the A-list of cinema's most celebrated talents. Three and a half decades on, she returns to the "Cape Fear" universe in Apple TV’s reimagining of the genre-defining classic.

Audiences were left reeling when "Cape Fear" opened in theaters in mid-November 1991. Robert De Niro delivered a mesmerizing performance as the ruthless Max Cady, a convicted killer who, upon his release from prison, embarks on a relentless campaign of vengeance against the family of his public defender he holds responsible for sending him behind bars. One of his primary targets: their teenage daughter, portrayed by Juliette Lewis. In Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg’s 10-episode limited streaming series, the story is reframed as a suspenseful psychological drama that expands a familiar tale into a complex, character-driven narrative. The high-profile cast features Amy Adams (Her, Nocturnal Animals, Nightbitch) and Patrick Wilson (Prometheus, Fargo, Batman v Superman) as the married attorneys, Javier Bardem (Dune, Skyfall, Pirates of the Caribbean) as the cold-blooded ex-convict Max Cady, and Juliette Lewis as Crystal, his mysterious stalker. Ahead of the season finale, globally premiering July 31 on Apple TV, Fräulein writer Thomas Clausen met Juliette Lewis for an intimate conversation about her passion for complex characters, rare full-circle moments, and her collaboration with the 'most delicious sociopath ever.'

Thomas Clausen: Revisiting "Cape Fear" after more than 30 years – how did that feel?

Juliette Lewis: It was incredible! Nick Antosca, the show creator, came up with the idea of adapting “Cape Fear” into a series. He first talked to me about it before 2020. I was so happy when they asked me to be a part of it and wrote a character that was completely different from the one I played before. He created an entirely new character so that I could go sort of toe-to-toe with the current Max Cady. I think they did a great job.

Did you hesitate at all before signing on, or was it a no-brainer?

It was a no-brainer because it has Mr. Scorsese’s blessing. He was involved, and I consider Martin one of my first teachers and a person who really validates my instincts. He gave me a lot of encouragement early on. So being part of the series and having him involved as well really made it a no-brainer. It’s a real full-circle moment for me. It doesn’t come along in a career very often that you get to revisit some of the essence of the earlier stories that you’re a part of.

Your character is deeply unsettling. What was your approach to bringing such a disturbing and psychologically complex figure to life?

It’s really nice when writers give you such a rich backstory. Nick, the show creator, basically gave me a couple of pages outlining who they thought Crystal was and her relationship with Max Cady, including their entire history.

 

From there, through hair and makeup, we created her visual self. I wanted her to be blonde, we wanted her hair to be wild, and I pitched my voice a little softer so that people hopefully wouldn’t recognize me in the beginning. That was very deliberate. All these bits of information helped lead me toward the character of Crystal.

Crystal is a nightmarish, haunting person. Did she also haunt your dreams after filming wrapped?

She really is a nightmare of a person. I like that. It makes her great for drama. But honestly, this is my profession. I’ve been doing it for a long time. When a project is finished, I go home and disappear into the mountains. I play with my dogs, look at the moon, and let go of the people I once was. No dreams, no nightmares about her.

When you read a script, what are you looking for in a character? What excites you?

I’m definitely looking for the other actors I’ll get to work with. I cannot say enough about Amy Adams and Javier Bardem. They’re some of the greats we have in cinema today. It was truly a dream to work with both of them. We both fully commit and we’re both bringing so much complexity to our roles. That makes the work feel easy.

 

But what does a role need to have to excite me? I like complexity. I like rich storytelling. And I always want to be doing something I’ve never done before.

It seems that you’re always searching for a kind of creative friction, gravitating toward mysterious and multilayered characters.

I’d say that. I don’t like having all the answers, and I like the unpredictable. I’m very interested in what a person reveals and what they conceal – sometimes those two things are at odds with each other. The audience doesn’t always know where this person is going or where they’re coming from. The more at odds they are, I think that’s what you mean by friction, the more exciting it is.

 

Javier Bardem takes on the role of the recently released convict Max Cady. What was it like to work with him on set?

Sometimes there are roles from the past where the shoes seem impossible to fill – like when De Niro played Max Cady. But Javier Bardem’s portrayal of Max Cady is breathtaking. When I saw him, I just wow’d.

 

Everything about him – the visuals, the aesthetic, his sex appeal – is a testament to the hair, makeup, and costume departments. And Javier being the most delicious sociopath you could ever imagine. Nobody does darkness like he does.

You’re taking on a very physical and demanding role, with some extremely intense and violent scenes opposite Javier Bardem. How challenging was it to inhabit that character in those moments?

The whole thing is that we do our jobs so well. There’s a scene where you’d think Javier spits in my mouth – he didn’t! We know how to pretend things and make them look a certain way. We’re not actually living what we’re doing. We do incredible stunt work and work with professionals who know exactly what they’re doing. And I really enjoy it.

 

I don’t know why I can play dark, dramatic characters, but I’ve always had empathy for people who are going through difficult times. When I was little, I was always trying to empathize with other people’s pain.

You’re singing in one of the episodes. What about returning to music? You released your last album about ten years ago!

I know! When I heard I was doing an interview with someone from Germany, I had to think about our shows in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin… Some of our best audiences were in Germany. I had the best rock ’n’ roll crowds there. I loved it so much.

 

My bandmates are all involved in other bands, like The Offspring and Chevelle. Right now, my plate is full with acting, but I will be back on stage again. I just did a Broadway play in New York, where I starred in “The Rocky Horror Show”.

There’s a fascinating triptych of unconventional characters you’ve brought to life: the vulnerable Adele in "Kalifornia", the out-of-control mass murderer Mallory Knox in the iconic "Natural Born Killers", and now the mentally unstable Crystal in "Cape Fear". Is there a journey that connects these characters?

Yes, they do follow a similar life line. But then there are other sides to my work if you look at my comedy roles, like “Starsky & Hutch” or a Nora Ephron comedy with Steve Martin called “Mixed Nuts”. Those characters are nothing like Mallory Knox or Crystal. I love doing character work and taking on things I haven’t done before. So I often move between comedy and drama.

You’ve struggled with depression and addiction yourself over the years. Does portraying these darker characters also allow you to explore or process your own...

…darkness? I don’t know. That’s a good question, because sometimes I’ve done scenes that were disturbing. I was like, “Ugh, this is so difficult.” Because the body doesn’t know whether it’s staged or real. I remember I had to play a scene once where I watched my father get killed. It’s 3 a.m., and you’re completely immersed, emoting and screaming. I was like, “Wow, this is a really crazy line of work I’m in…” But I work through my own things that I need to work through when I’m not filming. There are no parallels between my private self and any of my roles. I hope not…

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